


Second Nature

by Ursa_Tattoo



Series: Cosmo Armstrong AU [3]
Category: The LEGO Movie (2014)
Genre: (all fics with cosmo and powers technically are), (and i can easily say that they were simply offscreen the whole time), (because fuck the rules amiright lads), (but im god of my domain), Alternate Universe, Character Study, Date Nights (Disguised By Fools), Guilt, Lies, M/M, Pathological Lying, Undar!Benny, Undarcop, a lil gay a lil sad, gay realizations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-22 06:24:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19661650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ursa_Tattoo/pseuds/Ursa_Tattoo
Summary: Emmet Brickowski is a terrible liar. Rex Dangervest is very much not, and he knows it. A study in guilt and falsehoods.





	Second Nature

**Author's Note:**

> all you really need to know about cosmo and powers for this is that cosmo and rex are ineptly gay and incredibly stupid, but please look at rnainframe's tags for undarcop and cosmo armstrong, i love his boys

The web of lies starts small, really. All things do, and with no one else to lie to, Rex begins with himself. He's fine. The simplest of lies, and the hardest to define.

He's not a good liar yet, but it's simple, and when he goes back to fix things, he's... scared to tell the truth. He wants to help Emmet, he really does (at least for now). That means he needs a cover story. He'd already abandoned his old name, but this is his first time using the new one. It comes out clunky, but as he continues, picking and choosing what parts of his backstory to reveal, it gets... easier.

Lying just gets easier and easier and easier, doesn't it?

By the time he meets Powers, it's second nature. He doesn't even hesitate to fib his way through town, embellishing his exploits as he makes it through. Pretending not to care about his mistakes, though?

He shouldn't lie about that. It's smarter not to. But... he does. It's as easy as any other, and his stomach twists.

...It shouldn't be this easy.

Time goes on. He tells more lies than truths now, but why would he want to be honest? Who does that help?

Until... He meets _him._ He meets Cosmo.

Cosmo is.... He's everything. He's a kindred spirit, he's got a smile that lights up a room, he's smart and he's tough and he's just as broken as Rex. He understands, and that's a rare trait.

...But Rex's first impulse is to lie to him.

He's trying not to, he really is. After a few loops, anyway. He doesn't want to trust anyone, but Cosmo _gets_ him, truly, and Rex... starts to let go. Just a little, but... he still lies. About the littlest of things, things he doesn't have to lie about. It's just a part of him now like any other.

It takes a long time to figure out he's in love, but maybe Rex was just lying to himself about that, too. They're sitting on the couch after ~~date night~~ watching a movie, and Cosmo's tucked into Rex's side, face pressed into Rex's chest as he sleeps. He looks so peaceful, and Rex feels himself flooded with an emotion he hasn't felt since...

Oh, _fuck._

He tangles his fingers into Cosmo's hair as he thinks. Just... contemplating this, and Cosmo wakes, cozily blinking up at Rex with oddly soft eyes.

"Wha?" He looks to Rex for answers about why he's awake, and Rex wants to be honest. He wants it, more than anything.

"You had something in your hair, sorry dude." The lie rolls off of his tongue so easily that it makes him sick.

"Oh, okay." Cosmo settles back down, believing him. He _trusts_ Rex. And that's the most painful thing of all, isn't it?

Cosmo's asleep again soon enough, and Rex sighs, not moving his fingers from Cosmo's hair. It's so soft, and he's so...

God, he really is a coward, isn't he?

The next loop, they introduce themselves as partners in crime again. Not friends. Not... Not more. It's a familiar lie, but now it's one that Rex can't tell himself anymore.

...But he continues to tell it to Cosmo. For now.

He's not sure what'll happen if the lies fall apart. He doesn't think he wants to know.


End file.
